June 19th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Moving Out

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Opening Prayer

Holy God, slow to anger, wise to judge, mighty to deliver, I come to hear Your Word now.

Read Acts 8:4-25

[4] Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. [5] Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. [6] When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. [7] For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. [8] So there was great joy in that city. [9] Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, [10] and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” [11] They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. [12] But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. [13] Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. [14] When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. [15] When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, [16] because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. [18] When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money [19] and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” [20] Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! [21] You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. [22] Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. [23] For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” [24] Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” [25] After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6).

Think Further

The result of the opposition in Jerusalem was that the church was scattered—but far from hindering its mission, this enhanced it. One of the paradoxes of history is that the church often grows under persecution. The Spirit who inspires and enables God’s mission is not held back by the efforts of people. Indeed, it’s possible that Luke wants us to understand that the church had been slow to obey the injunction to go into the entire world, and that it’s the Spirit who takes the initiative.

Like Stephen, Philip, although appointed to a practical task (Acts 6:1-7), discovers and exercises new gifts. His ministry, as so often in the New Testament, combines proclamation focused on the arrival of Messiah (5), together with signs. It is the pattern and theology of the New Testament that signs will follow and confirm the word (Heb. 2:1-4). We may not agree on what that means in practice today, but at least we can agree that our mission involves both proclamation and demonstration. It is a denial of the Gospel when our words are not supported by action.

The focus in these two chapters is on two of the seven appointed to support the apostles. The apostles remain the ultimate authority, so when word of the work in Samaria reaches Jerusalem they come to check it out. Having recognized that God is at work, they pray for the Spirit to come. The reception of the Spirit is always seen as an essential part of the conversion experience, although sometimes, as here and in Ephesus, there is a time lag (Acts 19:1-7). Simon’s desire for the ability to confer the Spirit on others is motivated by thoughts of personal gain, but the Spirit cannot be manipulated for our own ends.

Apply

How might your church’s discipling of new Christians reflect more effectively the conviction that they have received the Spirit and now live in him?

Closing prayer

Spirit of the Living God, You make Christ real to me and give me the desire to share my faith. I release my life to fulfill Your saving purposes.

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